The Story of a Man

I sat down across the table from a man who was sitting alone, finishing his food. I asked him if he was up for an interview, to which he replied yes, but he asked me not to include his name. He wanted to spread his message without being attached to it. This man grew up here in Pensacola, suffered a rough childhood, and fell into a life of constant drinking. His friends drank, his girlfriend drank, his whole life was surrounded by drinking with no way out of his addiction. He told me to “be careful of who you surround yourself with.” He warned me of the dangers of alcohol, telling me that “alcohol makes people not want to be around you.” He constantly reminded me that everyone's life has purpose, and that I can avoid the path he fell by “staying focused, staying in school, staying out of prison.” Toward the end of the interview, the man was hurried away by a friend, but his message resonated with me. Something about the hopefulness he had for me reflected the dreams he clearly had once had for himself. Not everyone achieves their dreams, but I hope he keeps working towards a new beginning and that he remembers that his life has a purpose.